February 2018

Philippi Christian Church in Deltaville welcomes Reverend Lydia Land as our new Intentional Interim Minister. She has thirty years of experience in Christian ministry, both as a pastor, hospital and prison chaplain. Her education came from Disciples schools. She has taken classes for ministry: Biblical understanding, theology, preaching, counseling, ecumenical studies, Disciple polity, and church administration.

ORDINATION & EDUCATION ORDINATION: New Bern, NC Broad Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), August 1988 CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, Indianapolis, IN Master of Divinity, May 1988 BARTON COLLEGE, Wilson, NC Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy, May 1984 FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY, Brunswick, GA, October 1997

Reverend Lydia Land

September 2018

Philippi Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) P.O. Box 555Deltaville, Virginia 23043(804) 776-6230

Pastor’s Pen

Have you ever heard the phrase, “in the meantime”? It is somewhere between here and there. For our Lord, being in the meantime defined His teaching, preaching, and healing. Many a time the disciples were ready to get ahead of the cause of the Son of the Living God. Jesus would tell them, “Not yet. My hour has not come.”

When Jesus’ hour did come, the disciples had thought it was the end of this exciting ministry. After all, they deserted them, Judas betrayed him, and Peter denied him. The ministry that was so disciplined and orderly, fell into disarray. While some thought it was the end of this movement, it was its beginning.

When Jean and I were in Rome this summer, I was reminded how a waterman named Peter, gathered those early church fathers and mothers, to rest their faith in a resurrected Son of the Living God! And with faith, they hoisted up their sails and caught the wind of the Holy Spirit!

Here in Deltaville, it is no different with our church. In the sanctuary there is a stain glass window. I think you know which one: The stain glass window with the waterman and boat.

Every time you pass the church on the highway or come to church for its various activities, I challenge you to look at it, and remember those before us who had faith in Jesus in those “meantime” moments.

While in Rome, Jean and I visited the famous Sistine Chapel, where the great artist, Michelangelo, painted pictures of faith on the ceiling. It was a

magnificent holy place. When the opportunity was announced that we could pray with one of the Roman Catholic priests, we looked at one another for a split second. No words needed to be said. It does not matter whether you are Catholic or Protestant, when we pray, God listens!

There was no question in my mind about who needed prayer—it was the congregation of Philippi Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) in Deltaville, Virginia. We held hands and prayed that there would be forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration among you, so that the Lord’s work could be done.

So as we as a congregation are “in the meantime” or should I say intentional interim ministry together, let us hoist our sails and catch the winds of the Holy Spirit. And trust that the Lord will gets us where we need to go.

I am your servant in Christ,Pastor Lydia

AnnouncementsDisciples 101Next Sunday, Pastor Lydia will begin a new Sunday School class at 9:00 am on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): its beginnings, it’s theology, and congregational life.  It will also feature the typical, “You might be a Disciple, if you...”. It will be fun to explore who we are.  Come and join us!

A Selfie with The New Interim PastorPastor Lydia will be visiting all the family and friends of Philippi Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  Be on the lookout for your

picture in upcoming church newsletters and on a bulletin board at the church.  Say cheese for Jesus!

Worship and Wonder There is an upcoming two-day training in Lynchburg for this highly successful Disciple education program designed to teach the stories of the Bible to the children of our church.  If you would like more information on this, please see Pastor Lydia.

Download the Disciples AppThe Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have an app that you can download to your cell phone, computer, and laptop.  Keep up with the latest news about our church!

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in VirginiaOur region has a monthly e-newsletter.  Are you on the email list to receive them?  It is a great way to keep up the news with our sister churches around our district as well as across the state of Virginia. Give us a call if you would like to be placed on the email.  If you don’t have a computer, we will print them and placed them in an available area of the church.

Search Committee Report

The Chairperson of the Search Committee, Ahmet Anday, would like to thank:

Linda McKittrick, ModeratorJuanita Glasscock, TreasurerEarl Simpson, who chose the wonderful committee membersAND the Search Committee Members:Joyce Mills, SecretaryWalter DeagleBecky HarrisBetsy HudginsBetty PrinceDani Shelley

For their dedication, commitment and hard work in searching for and hiring our new Intentional, Interim Pastor, Reverend Lydia Land.

Many Thanks to all, Ahmet

Functions of a Pastoral Relations Committee (PRC)

The PRC’s focus is relational as opposed to being a task centered group.

1. Listening2. Support

a. Comfortb. Clarificationc. Constructive Criticism

Nominating CommitteeThe Nominating Committee has a very important job of filling the vacancies on the board. If you would like to fill a vacancy or would like to recommend a member of the congregation, please inform one of the following:

Lil FahnestockJoan MannellJimmy WaldenJean WardMary Williams---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stewardship Report July 2018 Date Total Income 07/01/18 $2027.0007/08/18 $1087.00

07/15/18 $1652.00 07/22/18 $1618.00 Mission 75.00 07/29/18 $1299.00 Mission 75.0007/09/18 Wilson $4513.02 Total $ 12196.02 Income needed each month: $15928.55 (5 Sundays)Total income (monthly) $12196.02Total expenses $(8178.35)Overage/shortage $ 4017.67 YTD Inc $77609.24 Exp ( 74610.28) $ 2998.96

Your journey. Ever travel on an unfamiliar highway,  come to an intersection, and must make a decision to go left, right or straight ahead? Many use a GPS to guide them to their destination. During our

life's journey we must make many decisions on which way to follow  to

arrive where we want to go. Everyone has access to a GPS;  the Bible. It shows us the way and God's promises are to be believed. We can then focus on and enjoy the journey.

Ideas for Prayer MeetingsPraying with others has power. As you gather your church community to pray together, follow these 5 tips to help your prayer meetings thrive: 

1. START BY PRAYING

It might sound obvious, but prayer is the best way to prepare. Pray for wisdom as you plan your time together, and for the members of your church community who will be there. 

2. KNOW WHY YOU’VE GATHERED TO PRAY

If you’re meeting together to pray for a specific thing, make this the starting point of your meeting so everyone knows what to pray for.

You could start by sharing a specific story or Bible passage or using photos and videos to inform the mind and inspire the heart.

If you have a large theme, such as community transformation, split the meeting into sections to pray for. 

3. USE DIFFERENT MODELS OF PRAYER

Everyone engages with God differently. Use a variety of styles to ensure that everyone in your meeting can pray in a way that suits them. Try the following:

Short Sections: Most people find long periods of prayer challenging, so split into shorter periods with different topics and styles.

Worship: Plan musical worship for your meeting to welcome the Holy Spirit, and as reminder of how big and great God is. Weaving worship throughout your time of prayer is a great way to refocus. 

Involve Others: If you’re leading prayer on an issue, involve people with knowledge and experience in that area. For example, if you’re praying for education in your community, invite a Christian teacher to come and share their experience. 

The A,B,C Model: Split into threes, and allocate letters ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’. Allocate a prayer point per letter, and then encourage groups to pray at once. This is a great way to ensure that different areas of a topic are prayed for. 

Pray out Loud: The early church raised their voices together in prayer. Even if it feels uncomfortable, challenge your group to pray out loud together in passionate, personal prayer. 

50/50: Split your group in half, asking one half to pray for an issue and the other half to worship. Swap over. This could help your group to build confidence in praying out loud. 

Zones: Split the room up into different topics. Encourage your group to move around the room and pray for different issues. 

Get Creative: Use the 5 senses; give people something to hold, taste, watch, listen or do as you pray through a topic. 

Petitioning the King: Place a chair at the front of your space and encourage your group to imagine the chair as a throne to approach God with. Allow time for each member to come, one at a time, to kneel and pray. 

Use Liturgy: Many groups find it helpful to go through ancient written prayers together. You can find liturgy online to use in your meetings. 

4.  MAKE TIME FOR LISTENING 

As well as praying to God, make space to hear from God during your prayer time.

When God speaks, it’s always affirming, and matches what He is like in the Bible. Different people often receive the same word or theme. 

Here are a few specific ideas for listening in your prayer meetings: 

Share how God speaks: This is especially helpful if your group don’t feel confident in listening. Explain how God speaks through the Bible, our thoughts, through pictures. It might be useful if you, or someone else, can share a time that you have heard from God. 

Invite the Holy Spirit to Speak: This is a practical way to start your listening time. Give space for silence and a set time for people to hear from God. 

Share together: Invite the members of your group to share anything they heard, felt or saw. If you have a larger group, you could split into smaller groups first. Record what each person shares and highlight any themes emerging. 

Pray for the things you feel God is saying: Split into groups and pray for the themes, words, pictures or Bible passages shared. It’s often helpful to finish with a time of musical worship or thanksgiving.  

5. FINISH WELL

Finish your meeting by concluding together and giving thanks to God for the time.

Ensure that everyone has had enough time to pray for your topic and theme, and that anyone who has heard from God has had an opportunity to share. 24/7 INTERNATIONAL PRAYER

September 2018

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

10:00 Every Sunday Combined Service

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Fellowship Welcome Reverend Land 9:00 Adult Sunday School

4:45 Lectionary Group 6:30 Cub Scouts

4:00 Elders

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Sanctuary 9:00 Adult Sunday School

4:45 Lectionary Group 6:30 Cub Scouts

3:00 Executive Committee

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Fellowship 9:00 Adult Sunday School

4:45 Lectionary Group 6:30 Cub Scouts

23 24 25 26 27 27 29 Sanctuary 9:00 Adult Sunday School

4:45 Lectionary Group 6:30 Cub Scouts

30 Fellowship 9:00 Adult Sunday School

1 4:45 Lectionary Group 6:30 Cub Scouts

Elders: Betsy Hudgins, Lucina Crittenden, Mindy Miller Deacons: Craig Dozier, Bonnie Simpson, Mike Hurd, Patsy Watson, Gladys Prince, Joyce Saunders, Linda McKittrick

Up Coming Events and Programs

The first Saturday in September, the 1st, will be Philippi's turn to help man the Mobile pantry at Clarksbury church parking area. Volunteers are needed. This is a service to our community. Please contact elder and  outreach chairperson Bill Parker.

PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP!!

September 2018

Prayer Concerns PHILIPPI CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Tommy Bratton

Family of Frank Bushong

Susan Cottle

Owen Games

Nereyda Herrera

Liz Hogge

Family of Jerry Mann

Bob Mannell

David Mills

Family of Reverend Moon

Kay Norton

Family of Hugh Scanlan

Family of Charles Swinson

Family of Bobby Warren

Sung He & Craig Wood

Birthdays Shirley Tiller 9/4 Fay Kennard 9/9 Kathy Sadler 9/9 Lillian Fahnestock 9/13 Mindy Miller 9/14 Norton Hurd 9/15 Billy Norton 9/30

Anniversaries Dellie & Faye Kennard 9/9 Cloyd & Ethel Wiley 9/1 Katie & Tyler Crittenden 9/18 Bill & Nan Parker 9/21 Sissy & Michael Womack 9/26 Mindy & Ahmet Anday 9/28 Betty & Bobby Morris 9/30

Homebound and Nursing Home Residents

Craig Woods

Charlotte Slaughter

Shirley Dunlevy

Helen Haley

Avonne Hudgins

Denise James

Stanley Walden

Sissy Womack

Remember in Prayer:

Volunteer Fire Departments

Volunteer Rescue Squads

Our Military

Teachers

Law Enforcement Personnel